Process of and machine for soldering



(No Modem 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

C. M. BROWN. PROCESS 0F AND MACHINE POR SOLDERING.

No. 485,906.Y Patented NOV. 8, 1892.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. C. M. BROWN. PROCESS OF AND MACHINE FORSOLDBRING.

Patented Nov. 8,1892.

' i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES M. BROlVN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PROCESS OF AND MACHINE FOR SOLDERING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 485,906, dated November8, 1892.

Application filed December 19, 1891. Serial No. l115,623. (No modeLl lTo @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES M. BROWN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinoi's,haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in the Process of andMachines for Soldering, of which the following is a specification.

The object of the present invention is to provide a process and machineby which soldering may be done more rapidly than according to oldmethods and with old machines.

Accordingto my invention I keep the molten solder in motion, and,furthermore, I cause its surface, into which the joint is immersed, toassume a sloping instead of a horizontal position, for a reason thatwill appear presently.

The invention consists in certain features of novelty that areparticularly pointed out in the claims; and in order that said inventionmay be fully understood I Will proceed to describe it with reference tothe accompanying drawings, which are made a part of this specification,and in which- Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of an improvedmachine for carrying out the improved process, the cutting-planebeingindicated by the line 1 l, Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a horizontal Sectionthereofon the line 2 2, Fig. l, the parts below the cuttingplane beingshown in plan. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section thereof on theline 3 3, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, the upper partof the driving-shaft and its accessories being omitted. Fig. 4 is a planview of the solder-receptacle. Figs. 5, 6, and 7 are plan views of partshereinafter fully described.

The solder-receptacle consists of a shallow pan A, divided into two maincompartments B and C by a partition I). The compartment B is preferablycircular, and in its iioor is a centrally-located opening b,which isconnected by a passage E, situated beneath the Hoor, with an opening cin the floor of the compartment C. The partition D terminates somedistance from the side Wall A', leaving an opening F, and from its endalower partition G extends to the end wall A2, forming, with the sideWall A',a channel F. Proj ectinginwardly from the walls of thecompartment C, with its top side preferably flush with the top of thepartition G, is a iiangc or shoulder H, upon which rests a plate I, that"divides the compartment C horizontally into two chambers C and C2, thepartition being provided with an opening fi. C

J is a plate situated above the plate I and having an openingj, from themargin of which a iiange J extends downward nearly to the plate I,forming an interior wall for the chamber C and leaving a narrow openingK, the opposing edges of the two plates being preferably chamfered insuch a Way that the opening K iiares upward and outward.

M is a stop or rest situated opposite the opening t' and with itsupperside slightly below the channel K, and consisting, preferably, ofan open rectangular frame havingarmsm, perforated for the reception ofrivets L, by which the parts I,.J, and M are secured together, so thatthey can be lifted out of the compartment C.

It will be seen that, as shown in the drawings,the flange J is, in fact,supported by the plate I; but, if desired, the support may be moredirect, and the portion J, which forms only a cover for the chamber O',may be dispensed with, the object of the construction being to provide achamber for the solder having a vertical opening Z for the article andan opening into said opening, through which the solder is discharged.

N is an arm secured to and projecting upward from the pan A, and O is avertical shaft journaled in bearings N and sustained by a collar O',bearing upon the top of the arm. Suitable gearing P is provided fordriving the shaft, and to said shaft` is secured a Wheel or stirrer Q,situated in the compartment B.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A suitable quantity ofsolder is put in the receptacle A and kept in a molten state by a Bunsenburner placed beneath it or by any other desired means. The sti rrer Qis then put in motion, and as the molten solder in the compartment Bpartakes of this motion centrifugal force will cause its surface toassume a concavity such as indicated i/ the drawings, thereby raisingthe level of thesolder at the circumference of the compartment andlowering it at the center. The solder rwill flow through the opening Finto passage F and over the plate I until it is about the same IOO levelin chamber C" as it .is in compartment B. From the chamber C it willflow through the opening K into the chamber C2, and so long as thesolder in compartment B opposite the opening ZJ' is kept at a lowerlevel than the solder in the chamber C2 the solder will flow from saidchamber C2 through the passage E and into compartment B. In this way acirculation is kept up in the directions indicated bythe arrows. Ifdesired, the passage F may be dispensed with and the partition l)provided With an opening or terminated at such height that the solderwill iiow directly from the upper part of compartment B to chamber C. Iprefer, however, to use said passage, because, being locatedtangentially to the compartment B, the molten solder will be driven intoit by centrifugal force and the circulation thereby aided. It will beseen that the passage E, the compartment B, the stirrer Q, and theiraccessories are simply means for taking the molten solder from thelowerchamberCzandreturningitto the higher chamber C', and I desire tohave it understood that in its generic sense my invention is not limitedto these or any other particular means for accomplishing this result.

With this machine the operation of soldering is accomplished byinserting the article in the vertical opening Z of the solder-chamber Cuntil the joint to be soldered comes in contact with the stream ofsolder issuing from the solder-opening K.

The opening Z should be of the same shape as the article to be soldered,while its size should be such that the article may be rested on the stopM, and when so rested all parts of the joint to be soldered will projectinto the stream of solder issuing from the passage K. In the drawingsthe opening is rectangular, (substantially,) and in Fig. l is shown acan X, of corresponding shape, resting upon the stop M in position tohave its bottom soldei-ed on; but fora round article the open-ing shouldbe round, so as to give the stream of solder a round contour, and for astar-shaped articlethe stream should be starshaped,and so on. It is`easily possible to give the stream of solder the necessary shape forsimultaneously soldering a continuous joint of an article of any outlineby simply giving the inner wall J of the solder-chamber and thesolder-discharge opening K the proper shape.

According to one old method of soldering, asmall quantity of solder isplaced upon a horizontal disk, which is slightly concave on top, andbeneath which are the burners. The articleis immersed-in the solderuntil it comes in contact with the disk and is so held for an instant,the disk being slowly revolved the While. This machine is, in fact, arotary soldering-iron, and its operation depends upon actual contact ofthe article with the disk.

It can be used only on round articles, and the end ofthe article iscountersunk yits entire surface will be coated with solder if thequantity used is anything more than barely enough to give the disk amere coating. Furthermore, it is available only when the seam or jointis at the very extremity of the body of the article, and cannot be usedwhere the seam is on the side.

The advantages of my method are that it can be used on articles of anyshape having side seams or end seams, countersunk ends or iiat ends. Sofar as I am aware I am the first to solder by immersing the entire jointof the article simultaneously in a bath of moving molten solder thesurface of which is made to slope, so that the entire bottom of thearticle does not come in contact with the solder. I have shown anddescribed in this application means for accomplishing these results andapplying the principles which they i11- volve in soldering articles ofany shape, be it curved or angular, regular or irregular, and I believesaid means to be the best that can be devised for performing theseoperations where the articleis other than round; but for round articlesI prefer to use the machine shown in another application of even dateherewith, Serial No. 415,624. In the machine shown in said applicationthe molten solder is contained in a cup, which is revolved about avertical axis, so that the centrifugal force causes the surface toassume a concave form'. Both of these machines keep the solder in motionand cause its surface to slope; but the character of the motion andslope differ somewhat.

My invention as herein claimed includes both, however, and others thatwill readily suggest themselves to a skilled mechanic.

I am aware that it is not new to melt the solder and cause a quantityjust sufficient to seal the joint to flow from a higher toa lower leveland into said joint; but this is not the equivalent of causing themelted solder to fall in a copious stream (the quantity being more thanis actually required for sealing the joint) and immersing thereinA thejoint to be sealed, the surplus solder that is allowed to fall beingreturned.

What I claim as new is- 1. The process of soldering consistingv informing a bath of molten solder, imparting to it a swift motion, andcausing its surface to slope to such an extent that an articlev having aflat unsunken bottom may be immersed thereinv far enough to submergeeither a bottom seam or a side seam Without bringing any considerableportion of its' bottom in contact with the solder, and :immersing inthesloping surface of the moving molten solder the arti'- cle to besoldered until its joint is submerged, but without bringing anyconsiderable portion of itsA bottom in contact with the solder,substantially as described.

2. The process of soldering consisting in forming a bath of moltensolder, imparting toit a swift motion, and causing its surface IOO IIO

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to assume a concave form and to slope to suchl an extent that an articlehaving a flat unsunken bottom may be immersed therein far enough tosubmerge either a bottom seam or a side seam without bringing anyconsiderable portion of its bottom in contact with the solder, andimmersing in the sloping concave surface of the moving molten solder thearticle until the entire joint to be soldered is simultaneouslysubmerged, but without bringing any considerable portion of the bottomin contact with the solder, substantially as described.

3. In soldering machinery, means for causing the molten solder tocirculate in a continuous current, in combination with means forsupporting the article to be soldered and presenting the seam to besoldered only in contact with the said current, whereby a portion of thelatter seals the joint, substantially as set forth.

4. In soldering machinery, in combination, means for causing the moltensolder to circulate in a continuous current, means for causing the saidcurrent to fall from a higher to a lower level at one part of itscircuit, and means for supporting the article to be soldered andpresenting the seam to be soldered to the soldering current as itdescends from the higher to the lower level, whereby the requisiteportion of the solder is absorbed and seals the joint, substantially asset forth.

Y5. The process of soldering consisting in melting the solder, causing agreater quantity than is required for sealing the joint to flow from ahigher to a lower level in a continuous stream the shape of which inhorizontal cross-section corresponds to the ontline of the joint to besealed and immersing the joint to be sealed in the solder as it falls ina stream from the higher to the lower level, so that all parts of saidjoint are simultaneously brought in contact with the solder,substantially as herein described.

G. A soldering-machine having, in combination, two chambers, an openingthrough which solder iiows from one chamber into the other, the bottomof the chamber into which the solder Hows being located below thelevelof the opening, so that the solder flowing therefrom falls in a stream,and means for taking the solder from the lower chamber and returning itto the upper one, substantially as set forth.

7. In a soldering-machine having, in combination, the cham ber C', theopening Z, extending vertically through said chamber and adapted toadmit the article to be soldered, and the solder-discharge opening Knear the bottom of said opening, substantially as set forth.

8. In a soldering-machine, the combination, with the compartment C, ofthe horizontal partition I, dividing it into upper and lower chambers Cand C2, and having the opening z' and the iiange J', extending upwardfrom the partition I, and leaving the solder-discharge opening K,substantially as vset forth.

9. The combination, with the chamber C', having the vertical openingZand the solderdischargeopeniiigl{,communicating with said opening, of astop situated opposite and beloW the opening Z for limiting theinsertion of the article, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the compartment C, of the horizontal partitionI, dividing it into chambers C' and C2, and having opening t', throughwhich said chambers communicate, and the plate J, having openingj foradmitting the article, and flange J', projecting downward toward thepartition I, leaving the opening K, through which solder flows from thechamber C', substantially as set forth.

ll. The combination, with a chamber having the vertical opening Z forreceiving the article to be soldered and the solder-discharge opening K,communicating with said opening Z, of a stop for limiting the insertionot the article, situated opposite and below the opening Z, andconsisting of open frame M and means for supporting it, substantially asset forth.

l2. The combination,with thecompartment C, of the horizontal partitionI, having opening t', the plate J, supported by said partition andhaving opening ,7' and Vflange J', extending downward and leavingopening K, and the rest M, havin g arms m, secu red to the partition I,substantially as set forth.

i3. The combination, with the chamber C', having a solder-dischargeopening K, and the chamber G2, having its bottom located below saidopening, so that the solder iiowing therefrom falls in a stream, of thecompartment B, passages connecting it with both of said chambers, andmeans in said compartment for forcing the solder into the upper chamberC', whence it iiows through the opening K back to the lower chamber C2,substantially as set forth.

14E. The combination, with the upper chamber C', havingasolder-discharge opening, and the lower chamber C2, of the compartmentB, passages connecting it with both of said chambers, and a rotarystirrer in said compartment, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination, with the chamber C', having a discharge-opening,and the lower chamber C2, of the compartment B, having acentrally-located opening in the floor thereof, a passage connectingsaid opening with the compartment C2, a passage connecting thecompartment B and chamber C', and means for producing a rotary motion ofthe solder in said compartment, substantially as set forth.

16. The combination, with the chamber C, having a discharge-opening, andthe lower chamber C2, of the compartment B, a passage extendingtangentially from the compartment B and communicating with chamber C', apassage connecting said compartment and the IIO tpiiiig uriraliidfIQViI-la obniugl, and means .for causingthe A,solder teflow fromcompartment B, into passage Fthence into `chamber C', thence through oeninOyK4 into r i p c i 5 chamberv C2, andA thence through passageE backto compartment B, substantially as set forth. i

, .i ,n CHARLES M. BROWN Witnesses:

L. M. HQPKNS, J. HALPENNY.

